1/22/16

TV Guide #13: July 10-16, 1976

It's amazing how much coverage throughout the week the Democratic National Convention got in 1976. It was a time when people actually watched politics happen, rather than just what talking heads say about politics happening.

In a time before 24 hour news networks, it's pretty impressive to see the extent of the DNC coverage. Given that we're headed to convention time here in 2016, I figured this issue of TV Guide was timely, and I've put the entire DNC article at the end of this post.

Of course, it's not all politics. There's plenty of awful TV movies, strange specials, and forgotten sitcoms to keep our interest. Let's have a look....

It starts with a two page movie advertisement for a movie that I should know about, but actually haven't a clue. What the hell is this? - and was is any good?

Those that think we've become obsessed with bullying these days, should have a look at what was on at 11:30 Saturday morning. "It's the Hot Fudge show comin' on... It's the Hot Fudge show comin' on..."

The baseball All-Star game was in Philadelphia, my home town, in 1976. I did not have a ticket to the game. I do remember watching it on TV with a bunch of people. I don't remember that the game was the same week as the DNC. Who scheduled that?

You didn't miss much the National League scored early and often that year with a final score of 7-1. With 1976 being the bicentennial year the city of brotherly love also hosted the NBA all-star game, the NHL all-star game and college basketball's men's final four.

You've never seen "Bingo Long and His Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings"? It used to be on cable stations like WTBS 25 years ago. Not a bad flick. Nice mix of albums & music genres in the Columbia House ad.

Didn't see the Ed McMahon/Janet Jackson skit when it aired. I saw it as part of one of the worst shows I ever attended in Branson, MO. It was free to the media and families of veterans, so I and my family got in free. I doubt anyone there actually paid to see this. Ed McMahon was trying to relaunch Star Search on the Internet and had brought some new talent with him. The rest of it was Ed showing us old clips from the Tonight Show, his old Budweiser ads, and the clip of him with Janet Jackson. The only good thing about this was I and my nephew got our picture taken with Ed McMahon. HI-YO!

This was probably the last real convention. The "Primary" system would be in full swing by the 1980s and we all knew the candidates by June. I remember the '72 Democratic convention where every wing nut fringe group was battling on the floor for attention. It was the Democrats frost try at ending the "Back room" system and bring the youth vote into the mainstream. What a disaster.

1976 may have been the last time convention coverage was limited by technology...the networks couldn't send live footage by satellite even as far as New York (not the same as international satellite) and resorted to sending film on the Amtrak Metroliner from Philadelphia.It was worse at the Republican convention in Kansas City--even flying the film in couldn't keep things current enough

1976 may have been the last time convention coverage was limited by technology...the networks couldn't send live footage by satellite even as far as New York (not the same as international satellite) and resorted to sending film on the Amtrak Metroliner from Philadelphia.It was worse at the Republican convention in Kansas City--even flying the film in couldn't keep things current enough

Note ABC had only limited convention coverage as compared to full coverage by NBC and CBS. The other networks got crushed against the All-Star Game and a Captain and Tenille special. Also "Mary Hartman" before noon? I thought my hometown market (Central Washington) was the only one that did that.

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